Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume8 Chapter3 2

Just Before Graduation. Part 2

The formal name of the Graduation Ceremony is the Graduation Diploma Awarding Ceremony.

As the name suggests, the purpose of the ceremony is to award graduation diplomas. And since this is for high-school, the diplomas are awarded to people who have completed the accredited high-school curriculum.

"But even so," Sei thought, "why do they have to make such a big deal out of it?"

She wasn't saying that they shouldn't have the ceremony. But all the singing practices and rehearsals took their toll, leaving her feeling apathetic about the actual event.

"Huh."

While standing in line in the corridor that led to the auditorium, Sei stretched her arms. She was a bit fed up with it all, feeling exhausted before it had even begun. But apparently that wasn't how she looked to those around her.

"Are the nerves getting to even you, Sei-san?"

The person ahead of her in line, Sasaki Katsumi-san, asked, turning to face her.

"Do I look nervous?"

"You're not the type to show much, so I thought I'd ask."

"I see."

Sei nodded, smiling. As she did, she thought, "Oh wow." She felt like she'd changed quite a lot. In the past, she wouldn't have been able to have this sort of frivolous conversation with a classmate. She remembered how she would interpret the other girls' innocent, well-intentioned words as sarcasm, and shut them out completely.

"We've done it before, so there's nothing to be nervous about."

This sort of meaningless conversation was fine, wasn't it? When had she first started to think like that?

She didn't know whether it was because she'd softened, her hard edges removed, or if she'd been unknowingly polluted by the adult world. It was probably more complex than that, not something that could be boiled down to just one cause.

"But the real thing's bound to be different."

The innocently giggling Katsumi-san was more the Yumi-chan-type. For the past year, they'd been next to each other whenever the class was arranged in alphabetical order, but they'd never talked like this. Due to her Yamayurikai work, Sei had spent most of her free time in the Rose Mansion rather than her classroom, so she had this superficial sort of relationship not just with Katsumi-san, but with the rest of her class too.

"What's the matter?"

"Hm? Nothing. I was just thinking I didn't contribute much to our class."

"That's not your fault. You were the entire school's onee-sama."

Katsumi-san said something darling. Instinctively, Sei felt like kissing her, but then she remembered Yumi-chan's angry face and restrained herself. Why was it that at times like this, when she had to put the brakes on, that it wasn't Shimako-san's face she saw?

One of the Seven Wonders of Satou Sei. Who knew what the other six were.

"Katsumi-san, Sei-san, there's a gap ahead of you."

From behind Sei, another Satou-san – this one Nobuko-san – quietly pointed out. The line had moved on while they'd been talking, so there was a five metre gap in front of them. It looked like plum class, the one ahead of wisteria class, had already started to enter the hall.

"Sorry."

Sei called behind her, then jogged forwards.

(The real thing?)

To start with, was there even a need to rehearse the graduation ceremony?

It was probably out of concern that they might embarrass themselves by making a mistake in front of their parents, siblings, and other guests, but surely by high-school everyone should be able to follow a program correctly.

The vice-principal was the host, or, rather, master of ceremonies, so there shouldn't be any concern about the actual event going off in a strange direction, even without a rehearsal. Even if the students got bored, they weren't about to act up – that sort of behavior didn't persist beyond kindergarten.

The school entrance ceremony didn't have a rehearsal, and it went smoothly. Wedding ceremonies and funerals didn't have full rehearsals with everyone present, yet somehow they managed.

"Wisteria class, please enter."

Following the directions of the student acting as usher, they filed into the auditorium.

Her feet trudged forwards in something resembling resignation, now that it had finally started.

The background music of the choir flowed over her. They weren't the marching band, they didn't all have to walk in step with each other.

When she got to her seat, the first thing that caught her eye was the program displayed to the right of the stage.

The big, black lettering of the calligraphy teacher jumped off the imitation vellum. It was marvelous. The letters were all gracefully flowing, with no hint of formality.

After glancing at the day's events, Sei quietly sighed. From the opening remarks right through to the closing remarks, it was a full course banquet. The main dish, awarding the graduation certificates, was squeezed in between various speeches and hymns.

Couldn't it be more businesslike, like the handing over of a driver's license? – That's what Sei was thinking, but it wasn't a criticism of the graduation ceremony specifically. It's just that she knew better than anyone how her body reacted to boredom by getting tired.

She'd been guilty of dozing off during last year's graduation ceremony, even though her onee-sama was graduating.

This time around she had more of a central role. Sei consoled herself with the thought that she'd be less likely to nod off since there was something she had to do during the middle of the ceremony, unlike other years.

Even after entering the auditorium she still felt as unconcerned as before. There was a part of her that was uneasy about leaving behind the people dear to her, but she seemed to remember feeling the strain a lot more last year.

The graduating students continued to enter.

In her mind, Sei muttered, "This isn't good."

She was already feeling sleepy.